Distillation of hydrocarbon oils



DISTILLATI N OF HYDROCARBON OILS May 13, 1930.

d April 4, i925 Fil Patented May 13, 1930 IUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT E. WILSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STANARD OIL COMPANY,

n OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA LISTILLATION` OF HYDROCAB-BON OILS Application led April 4,

The present invention relates to improvements in methods'of vacuum distillation of hydrocarbon oils, and in apparatus for use in connection therewith. It will be fully understood from the following description, illustrated by the accompanying drawings,"

- in which a longitudinal sectional view of ap- Number 20,414 filed April 3, 1925, there is shown and described a process of vacuum disparatus suitable for carrying the invention into eHect is shown. 1

In the application of vatts et al., Serial tillation of hydrocarbon oils in which the vaporization of the desired proportion of the oil being distilled is effected by means of heat supplied by superheated steam. The present invention relates more particularly to improvements in the methods and apparatus described in Athat application.

. Referring more particularly tothe drawl ings, the numeral 5 indicates a conduit which the oilto be distilled is supplied.

. Superbe-ated'steam isfsupplied from any suitable source through the pipe (i to the chamber 6a, from which it passes through the expanding nozzle 7 into the" reduced vpressure chamber 8, which leads, in turn, to the conduit 8a.

From the conduit 5 the oil to be distilled passes through feed pipe 9,.which is supported and properly centered within the steam expanding nozzle by means` of the rod 10 which enters (and closes) a projecting portion 9a of feed pipe 9, and is` itself supported by the .ba-Hic 11. ,It is readily apparent that any other suitable centering,r and supporting means `for the feed pipe 9-n`iay be employed. At a suitable point withinL the expanding nozzle 7 the feed pipe 9 is provided with openings 12. through which oil- 1s supplied to and atomized by the at least partially expanded steam. t?"

' Wi `hin the ychamber 8 there is provided, opposite the opening of the expanding nozzle 7, the baiiie 11 which is supported by spider 1925. Serial N0. 20,632.

18 within the frustro-conical decctor 14, which tapers in the direction of movement of the spray of steam and oil through the chamber 8. Opposite the smaller end of the de- I Hector, 14 is provided a similar bafiie 15, likewise supported in a tapering or frustro-comcal deflector 16by means of spider 17. To

prevent the'formation of a dead space back` ling ring member 20 provided at its base with openings 21. Oil draining back to the nozzle collects back of ring 20 and drips through openings 21, being picked up and reatomized4 by the steam.

Inl carrying out the invention, superheated steam, sayT at atmospheric pressure and at 10000 to 1200 F., is supplied to the expanding nozzle 7 in which it is expanded to the pressure prevailing Within the chamber 8 and conduit 8a; say 25 to 100 mm. Hg. In passing through nozzle 7, as the steam' is expanded. its temperature drops, its drop being a function of the drop in pressure and change in velocity of the steam. The oil supplied, which may suitably be a residue oil resulting from the fire and steam'distillation of crude oil, comes preferably directly from the reduction stills at a temperature of 650 to 720 F. (usually1 GSO-690 F.) andis fed through pipe 5, feed pipe 9 and openings 12 into the expanding nozzle 7. vThe openings 12 are located within the nozzle at a point where the steam is at least partly expanded, and at which its temperature is noti over 800 F., and preferably not over 700"v F. The oil is finely atomzed bythe swiftly and the mass of vapor and oil particles then t-ravels on through thedelector 14, which directs it against bafile 15, Where a similar action takes place. The mass of vapor'and oil particles then moves forward through deflector 16 and throat 19 into conduit 8a, in which steady flow of "the mass is resumed. As described in the appliction of Watts et al., hereinbefore referred to, the conduit 8a is so proportioned that the flow therethrough takes place at a rate of 200 to '600 feet per second (preferably 400 to 500 ft.) and it isvof sufiicient length to permit the attainment of substantial thermal equilibrium therein, this beingmaterially aided by the action of the bafiiing devices 11 and 15. In r passing through the chamber 8 a substantial quantity of heat reverts to the mass of vapor and oil, resulting in an increase of temperature and materially aiding the desired vaporization of the oil. The mass of oiland vapor passes from conduit 8a to suitable separating devices for the removal ofunvaporized oil, condensers and evacuating devices, as fully set forth in the application inbefore referred to. As these are not a part of the present invention, they are not 'further described and illustrated herein."

I claim: i

1. In apparatusfor the distillation of hydrocarbon oils, an expanding nozzle, means for supplying superheated steam to said nozzle, means for supplying oil at an intermediate point in said nozzle, an enlarged conduit into which said nozzle opens, a fixed metallic surface in said conduit opposite the opening of said nozzle against which the oil droplets are impingd, the area of the metallic surface presented to said nozzle being sufficient to receive the entire jet therefrom, and means for reatomizing the oil and directing the mass of vapor and oil particles forwardly through the conduit.

' mediate point In apparatus for' the distillation of hydrocarbon oils, an expanding nozzle, means for supplying superheated -steam to said nozzle, means for supplying oil at an intermediate point in said nozzle, an enlarged conduit into which said nozzle opens, means for maintaining said conduit at reduced pressure, a metallic surface in said conduit opposite the opening of said nozzle, and a forwardlytapering deflector surrounding said surface and adapted to 'directthe mass of vapor and oil particles forwardly through the conduit. V

3. I-n apparatus for the distillation of hyldrocarbon oils, anexpanding nozzle, means for supplying nozzle, means for supplying oil at an interin said nozzle, an enlarged conduit into which said nozzle opens, means for maintaining said conduit at reduced pressure, a bafiie in said conduit opposite the opening of said nozzle,

a wardly of said first baffle,

0f Watts et al., heref vopening of said nozzle, wardly of said first baffle, a forwardly tapersuperheated steam to said a baffle spaced forand means for directing the mass of vapors and oil particles from around the first bafiie forwardly against the second baflie.

4. In apparatus for the distillation of hydrocarbon oils, an expanding nozzle, means for` supplying superheated steam to said nozzle, means for supplying oil at an intermediate point in said nozzle, an enlarged conduit. into which said nozzle opens, means for maintaining said conduit at reduced pressure, a bafile .in said conduit opposite the opening of said nozzle, a baffle spaced forwardly of said first baffle, and a forwardly tapering deflector surrounding the first baffle and terminating opposite the second bafiie, thereby directing the mass of vapor and oil particles forwardly against the second baffle.

5. In apparatus for the vacuum distillation of hydrocarbon oils, an expanding nozzle, means for supplying superheated steam 4to said nozzle, means for supplying'oil at an intermediate point in said. nozzle, an enlarged conduit i-nto which said nozzle opens, means or maintaining said conduit at reduced pressure, a bafiie in said conduit opposite `the a bafiie spaced for-` ing deflector surrounding the first baflleand terminating opposite the second lb afiie, thereby directing the mass of vapor and oilfpartieles forwardly against the second baffle, and means for directing the mass of vapor and oil particles fromaround the latter bafile forwardly through the conduit.

y 6 In the distillation expanding superheated steam'through an ex-y panding passage into an enlarged condult atV reduced pressure, supplying'oil to the at least partially expanded steam before entering said conduit, impinging the oil particles' Aagainst an; obstructing surface on entering the conduit, reatomizing the oiland. causing the mass of vapor and oil particles to come to steady fiow through said conduit at a rate of- 200 feet per second or higher. l

In the vacuum distillation of hydrocarbon oils, expanding superheated steam through-an expanding passage into an en-1 larged conduit at reduced pressure, supplying oil to the at least partially expanded steam before entering said conduit, impinging the mass of vapor and oil Nparticles against a surface within said conduit and subsequently causing the mass' 'of Vapor and oil particles to move forwardly through the conduit insteady fiow at a rate of at least 300feet per second.

ROBERT E. WILSON.

1Go. of hydrocarbon oils,

DISCLAIMER 1,758,590.Robe1-t E. Wilson, Chicago, Ill.- DISTILLATIQN or HYDROCARBON OILS. Patent dated May 13, 1930.' Disclaimer filed August 29, 1930, by the assignee, Standard Oz'ZOom/ptmy. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 7 of said patent, which is in the following words, to wit: y A

7. In the vacuum distillation of hydrocarbon oils, expanding superheated steam through an expanding passage into an enlarged conduit at reduced pressure, supy plying oilsto the at least partially expanded steam before entering said conduit, ima pinging the mass of vapor and oil particles against a surface Within said conduit and subsequently causing the mass of Vapor and oil particles to move forwardly through the conduit in steady flow at a rate of atleast 300 feet per second, [Oficial Gazette Septembe?a 16, 1930.] Y 

